Despite launching the Peacemaker. At this point, the future of the DCEU is largely contingent on the return of Superman.
That has to be part of Warner-Discovery’s plans for the DCEU, whether it’s as simple as bringing Cavill back on board, or a full reboot and recasting. When this issue does finally resolve itself, then perhaps the franchise could expand to introduce his many iconic and powerful ing characters. They first have to get Superman right, but many of his fellow heroes and family would even make good and entertaining fits for their own film or HBO Max series.
Supergirl
While Batman’s ally Batgirl won’t be coming to the DCEU anytime soon thanks to the cancelation of The Flash – a point that has made some fans nervous that she could take over as a driving force for the franchise in Henry Cavill’s stead.
There were intentions announced that she would then get her own film too, but fans might need to lessen their expectations in that regard. While some theorized that Cavill’s Superman could be brought back as part of Supergirl, perhaps now the opposite is true, and after The Flash, the next time fans could see her is in a long-desired Man of Steel sequel.
Superboy
If Cavill was to return to the DCEU, it's anyone’s guess how long he would stay before finally moving on. In that case, they’d need to set up his successor quickly. Of course, Supergirl is the logical and worthy choice, but she needn’t be alone, and they could thus introduce Superboy. The interesting prospect from that is that several characters fit the bill from a young Kal-El to his clone, Kon-El, or even his son, Jonathan Kent.
While Supergirl could lead the charge on the film side, Superboy could shine on TV. It would be exciting to see more of young Superman’s adventures in discovering his powers and origins while remaining secret, but that might be too similar to Young Justice was also canceled.
Steel (John Henry Irons)
Another character who should come into play in Superman’s absence is John Henry Irons AKA Steel. He was first introduced following Superman’s death at the hands of Doomsday, so in the DCEU, he could’ve begun work on his armor and hammer between Justice League.
Many will his live-action debut in Steel, being played by Shaquille O’Neal, so instead, they could go with an HBO Max series – possibly even ahead of a Superman movie, so he could then that too. The show could then also incorporate his niece and successor, Natasha Irons, whether she s in the action or not.
Power Girl
The Flash will seemingly explore the DCEU’s Multiverse, perhaps even uniting multiple universes together and restarting everything on a clean slate, which could open up the possibility of characters like Power Girl coming into play. She is Earth-2’s version of Supergirl and a member of the Justice Society of America, which will be introduced in then Power Girl could be on the way.
Sasha Calle would likely play the role too, so if Supergirl gets her own film, then a Power Girl miniseries on HBO Max might be a good fit. This would allow Calle to really explore all the differences between Supergirl and Power Girl.
Lobo
Lobo’s adventures as a bounty hunter have brought him all over the galaxy, including Earth, where he has both fought against and with Superman. He is a Czarnian mercenary who was first introduced in 1983 as a villain, but over the years he has become more of an anti-hero, even becoming a member of the Justice League for a time.
Lobo is a character not only perfect for his own series, whether a live-action show in the DCEU like Peacemaker or an animated series on its own like Harley Quinn. He could come into play in a future Superman film, but first, it might work better to introduce him in on his own instead first.
Legion of Super-Heroes
While the Justice League rightfully gets all the focus, Superman – or rather Superboy at that time – has been a central figure of Supergirl and Young Justice recently, but never as the main focus in live-action.
Many DC Comics fans would be eager to see how the Legion of Super-Heroes would work in an HBO Max series, which could be loosely connected to the rest of the DCEU. If they are ever brought into the fray, it would be interesting to see how they could function as part of the DCEU’s grand scheme.
Superman (Val-Zod)
A while back, well before all the mess surrounding the Warner-Discovery merger, it was announced that Michael B Jordan was developing a series for Val-Zod, Earth-2’s Superman. However, that seems to have been halted due to his extensive production schedule. Hopefully he can find the time to move forward with it whether he plays Val-Zod or simply serves as executive producer.
Val-Zod takes up the mantle of Superman after Kal-El is killed, but he was raised a pacifist, which would make him a very interesting protagonist to follow. His story could be connected to Power Girls and other multiversal heroes from the Justice Society or the Wonders of the World, Earth-2’s variation of the Justice League.
Flamebird (Thara Ak-Var)
While Nightwing is commonly and rightfully associated with Dick Grayson, it might surprise many that Kal-El was the first person to use that moniker. He worked alongside his longtime friend, Jimmy Olson as Flamebird – who was strangely killed off in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Other characters have used the Flamebird title, including Thara Ak-Var.
She is a fellow Kryptonian, a childhood friend of Supergirl, and thanks to her connection to the mythical Flamebird entities, she actually has more powers than Superman. She is a relatively obscure character who would benefit from the attention the DCEU would bring, and eventually, she could helm a miniseries of her own.
New Gods
Another project that was announced and then abandoned was New Gods, directed by Ava DuVernay. It was done, most likely, as part of the shift away from what Zack Snyder set up, including the impending threat of Darkseid and Apokolips. However, should they eventually wish to venture back out to the cosmos and the weird stories there, then surely New Gods can happen again.
Whether a film or a TV show, this could primarily focus on characters like Orion, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda and their connection to Darkseid, with Granny Goodness and the Female Furies as the main antagonists. There’s plenty to adapt if it would remain largely insular from the rest of the DCEU or if they’d want to incorporate it as highly interconnected.
Icon
Along with Val-Zod, Michael B. Jordan was also set to develop a Static Shock film. Interestingly, Static Shock is not a creation of DC Comics, originating from Milestone Media as part of the Dakotaverse – a parallel universe that was incorporated into the main continuity in the late 2000s. The Superman contemporary from the Dakotaverse is Icon, and should Static Shock move forward, hopefully, he could be introduced in live-action.
He could certainly helm his own series on HBO Max and thus also introduce his loyal ally Raquel Ervin AKA Rocket, another character who deserves a shot in live-action. They are compelling characters who casual fans deserve to get to know.
